Moscow hopes that the West will exert energetic impact on the Kiev authorities to ensure the start of practical efforts

MOSCOW, May 17, 14:05 /ITAR-TASS/. Russia insists on an immediate ending of Kiev-led combat actions in southeastern Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday.

Moscow hopes that the West will exert energetic impact on the Kiev authorities to ensure the start of practical efforts towards the settling of the situation in the southeastern regions of the country.

Continuation of the punitive operation in the area of Slavyansk testifies to the hypocrisy of the government in Kiev, which is make deceitful claims about its readiness to act in line with provisions of the statement by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) regarding its roadmap.

Russia has grave doubts that an election held to the accompaniment of cannonades matches the democratic norms of the electoral process, which is underway in Ukraine, the ministry said.